The output of India’s eight core infrastructure sectors rose by 8.9% in June, compared to the same month last year, showed government data released on Wednesday. The increase in year-on-year output was led by a low base effect as production in the eight sectors had contracted by 12.4% last June due to the nationwide coronavirus lockdown.

However, core infrastructure output in June has eased compared to the previous two months. The economic indicator had risen by 16.8% in May and 60.9% in April. These numbers were also a result of last year’s lockdown, which was even more stringent in April and May 2020.

Production of steel in June saw the sharpest year-on-year rise, increasing by 25%, data from the commerce and industries ministry showed on Friday. Meanwhile, the production of crude oil declined by 1.8%.

Output in six other sectors went up. The production of natural gas rose 20.6% in June 2021, compared to the same month last year. Coal output increased by 7.4%, electricity by 7.2% and cement by 4.3%. Petroleum refinery products saw a year-on-year-increase of 2.4%, while output in the fertilisers sectors went up by 2%.